Chapter 106

The Pope lowered his head slightly to glance at Firex, who was bowing and scraping before him. There was not the slightest trace of emotion in his eyes, and even a seasoned politician like Firex could not discern the Pope’s intentions.

He had always been like this.

Fortunately, there was no need for him to guess. All of Firex’s actions were based on the benefits the Pope had promised his family. In truth, what those people in the Kingdom said wasn’t wrong—he really was just a dog who did things for money, not someone noble.

But even a dog had its own way of living.

“Your... Your Holiness, you said you already knew, but this news, I only just... Your Holiness?!”

The Pope gave no response. He simply turned in place, his back now facing Firex, and stood before the massive grey-white statue, illuminated in many colors, lowering his head slightly to pray on his own.

Firex followed behind him and pretended to pray as well, though he hadn’t understood a single word of the prayer he recited.

And at some point, Gustana, who prayed to the gods, had already lifted his head.

Maintaining his posture with his back to the visitor, the deep echo of his voice resounded heavily in Firex’s ears.

“Your return now means that the matter I entrusted to you has encountered an unexpected development, one that you were unable to prevent.”

“Y-Yes! It’s of great importance. I came back precisely to report to you face-to-face and seek guidance on what to do next!”

“I have already said, the gods have informed me of this ‘unexpected development.’ Everything is predetermined. There is no need to panic.”

“You already know?”

“Yes... Sheffy Harl—the witch is about to return to this world.”

“!”

Every time something like this happened, Firex felt a chill run down his spine!

He had clearly been the first to receive this information and had rushed back as fast as possible to report it to the Pope. But the Pope really seemed as though he could hear the voice of that elusive “god.” It was as if there was nothing in this world he didn’t know!

Gustana turned around, using his scepter to support himself.

At last, he faced Firex directly. His usually indifferent expression now bore a trace of gravity.

“But the specific details... even I do not know. Firex, the reason I placed you in the Kingdom of Aurus is precisely because of this.”

“......”

So you don’t actually know either!

Firex thought—if you really knew everything, why the hell would you need me to do anything?

If you don’t know, then just ask properly—why put on this whole act?

The moment this thought surfaced in Firex’s mind, he instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

Because the Pope suddenly shot him a sharp glare... as if—

He had read his very thoughts!

Damn it... He couldn’t read him at all. For the sake of his life, it was better to behave honestly.

Firex had come precisely to report this situation.

“Your Holiness, here’s the current situation: during negotiations with the Demon Clan, the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Aurus, Livra Aurus, proposed that she personally approach the Demon Clan Princess to gain her trust and ultimately facilitate coordination and cooperation between both sides in pursuit of peace. Your subordinate believes this poses a serious threat to our Theocracy... If the Kingdom and the Demon Domain reach a tacit understanding, wouldn’t that leave the Theocracy in a severely disadvantaged position? Should they join forces, we’ll be hard-pressed to respond!”

He had expected the Pope to react with outrage or at least show concern.

But once again, he defied all expectations.

Not only did he show no negative reaction, but he even shook his head and chuckled softly twice.

“Ho... Princess Livra. I’ve heard of her. That move is truly a cunning one... I had originally planned to use the merchant guilds to exert pressure and draw out the Demon Clan Princess so she’d seek cooperation. I didn’t expect the Kingdom’s princess to take the initiative first. Was it mere coincidence... or the will of the gods?”

“Y-Your meaning is?”

“It matters not.”

Gustana paused in thought and quickly devised a countermeasure.

“Just proceed as originally planned. Your hasty return shows that the Third Princess truly managed to sway the Demon Clan Princess. That actually saves the Theocracy some effort... In that case, Sheffy Harl’s appearance at the arena match can be considered a certainty.”

“Yes, tomorrow King Celt Aurus will make a national proclamation, announcing Princess Sheffy’s release and formally inviting her to participate in the arena combat hosted by the Kingdom.”

“That is excellent.”

“?”

Excellent? But Firex couldn’t understand what was so good about this.

Gustana looked upward at the ceiling of the cathedral, squinting slightly as he tried to make out the sacred Church symbols depicted above.

“The Theocracy and the Kingdom... have reached a historical turning point. Sheffy Harl is the weight that will tip the balance. She must be won over. If we cannot win her... I already have other plans. Also, regarding the one you mentioned earlier—Shaya—any recent developments?”

“N-None, I think. That person was quite active in the Kingdom some time ago, making waves everywhere. She was granted a title by the king and was exceptionally promoted as a knight of the Kingdom. During the attack by Jeffriel, the Six-Winged Demon, she demonstrated great resolve. Also... in the Kingdom’s political circles, some believe she is a ‘divine apostle,’ especially since she made quite a commotion at the royal palace previously... and even knocked out two of my front teeth... Uh, deeply sorry, I’ve spoken out of turn!”

Upon hearing those words, the Pope’s unmoving body finally trembled slightly.

It seemed like anger, yet also resembled the moment a wise man swiftly quelled his fury.

By the time Gustana spoke again, his tone was once more calm and composed.

“‘Divine Apostle’—such talk is nothing but a joke. The gods have never appointed apostles among mortals, not in the past, not now. It is nothing more than the idle words of the world. But as for Shaya, you must not grow complacent. If there are any further developments, report to me immediately.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

“That will do. You may return now.”

“Your Holiness? Then... what should your humble servant do next?”

“Observe quietly. I will have someone inform you of the next steps. Until then, do not act rashly.”

“I will follow your guidance.”

Firex placed his hand over his chest and swore to act in accordance with the Pope’s will.

—But he did not leave immediately.

As the Pope’s brows faintly furrowed, Firex lowered himself even further and tentatively asked,

“Your Holiness, this humble servant will serve you with unwavering loyalty. Please be assured. However... about the matter you previously promised... your servant believes you will certainly fulfill your word.”

There was a slight tremble of fear in Firex’s voice, yet even so, he insisted on confirming this once more.

Otherwise, everything he had done would be meaningless.

Hoh... What a greedy man.

Even within the very heart of the cathedral under divine scrutiny, he dared to speak such worldly words.

But the greedier the person, the easier they were to control.

So long as the stakes offered were high enough, his loyalty would be unquestionable.

Sometimes, even more reliable than those devout believers.

At times, self-interest was the most powerful doctrine in this world.

“Of course.” Gustana’s brows relaxed, and the ruby at the tip of his scepter glimmered faintly, “For one who contributes, rewards are the natural order. If the great plan succeeds—wealth, power, and status shall all be yours.”

After a slight pause, Gustana’s gaze turned sharp.

“If Aurus collapses... you shall be the new King of Aurus.”

“Ahh... Thank you, Your Holiness. Praise be to the divine... long live the Theocracy.”

Firex knelt and bowed deeply, as if a god named “ambition and greed” had taken residence in his heart.

This time, Firex truly withdrew, his face radiating endless loyalty.

As he exited the cathedral, the gilded doors closed behind him once again.

The vast cathedral was left with only the Pope himself.

“The angels sing hymns, the gods chant verses, and the merciful deity casts the radiant light of salvation upon the world.”

A wrinkled hand pressed against his chest, the Pope turned his back and bowed solemnly before the sculpted statue of the deity, chanting a prayer that had remained unchanged for a thousand years.

Silent, solemn, suffocating.

The overlapping glow of violet, crimson, and azure still bathed the cathedral, flickering between dim and bright.

But at some point...

The descending light began to recede in the opposite direction, like a river flowing backward, like stars reversing course.

The movement of light should not have had a perceivable direction.

Yet, when one stood within it, a faint sense of abnormality could be felt.

The Pope was not startled by this extraordinary phenomenon, but his serene face now held a marked reverence.

In the Holy Theocracy of Coreia, there existed no one worthy of the Pope’s reverence.

Unless... that being was not human.

In the silence of the world and the pulsing of light, the radiance suddenly froze.

“Gustana, you’ve truly grown more senile with age. To think that even if the Kingdom falls, you would hand its throne to such a petty man... I can only say that history has gained another farce.”

A crisp, female voice echoed through the cathedral where no second person should have existed.

It rang from all directions—and then faded from all directions.

The Pope showed no surprise, but bowed his head respectfully in response.

“You jest. Should the great plan succeed, Firex will be the first to perish.”

“Oh? More cunning in old age, are you? Old fox... burning the bridge once you’ve crossed it. For someone who holds the papacy, how utterly vile—beneath contempt and without principle.”

“Well now... Everything I’ve done has been in accordance with your gospel. If you speak of vileness, I dare not claim it.”

“Hahahaha...!! I’ve never guided mortals to murder or arson! I’ve never taught the masses to be duplicitous! Such vileness is but what they’ve taught themselves!”

“Sigh... On the necessary path toward a flourishing theocracy, evil is an indispensable element...”

A laugh as pleasant as silver bells yet terrifying in its sound rang out.

Even the Pope tightened his grip on his scepter slightly, his palm already coated in a fine layer of sweat.

But after only a brief moment—

The laughter faded.

“Well then... I have no interest in monitoring the lives or deaths of petty men. Deal with them as you will. However, Sheffy Harl... I am a bit concerned about her. Her existence is not as simple as it seems. You must pay extra attention.”

“Not... simple?”

“She is a being even my powers cannot fully comprehend—most unusual.”

“!”

“Haha...! The matters of the world, I shall not meddle in. Judge them as you will.”

“Understood... You may rest assured.”

And so, the flow of light was finally drawn back to its rightful course, like water returning to its channel.

It was as if the voice within the cathedral had never existed at all. Even the flow of time seemed to resume only after Firex had departed.

Only now, the Pope’s expression bore an even deeper weight of contemplation.

The moment his scepter struck the ground once more, the faithful waiting outside the cathedral could no longer contain themselves—they surged in, eager to find a seat of their own. Even the rearmost gallery was packed with people standing.

The Pope ascended the high platform alone.

Just as he always did, he began his sermon.

And the Theocracy, as always, continued to nurture and recover.

“In the name of the gods, may all people be protected. May the Theocracy endure eternally.”

23. The Eve of Battle

The arena tournament in the Kingdom of Aurus had always been a grand event, but this year’s competition was more spectacular than ever.

As wave after wave of explosive news spread, countless sparks were added to an already blazing fire of excitement surrounding the classic tournament.

—All the major merchant guilds had gathered, pooling their funds, all of it allocated to reward the victors. Even participants simply signing up would receive money.

—King Celt Aurus himself would arrive with members of the royal family to personally encourage the contestants. At the same time, the Kingdom sought to identify promising talents. Those who performed exceptionally well would have a chance to directly enter the Kingdom’s Knight Order.

—The Pope of the Holy Theocracy of Coreia announced that he would be present to spectate the tournament.

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